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  • [intro music]

  • Hi everyone. My name is Jordan Mackenzie and I'm a graduate student

  • at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

  • I'm going to talk to you today about a type of informal fallacy

  • known as the argumentum ad populum fallacy or the Appeal to the People Fallacy.

  • Now let's start with a walk down memory lane.

  • Do you remember ever trying to cajole your parents into buying you the latest fad toy, say a Furby

  • by whining about how everyone at school thought that Furbies were the best toy ever

  • so they must really be the best toy ever.

  • Your parents probably responded by saying something like:

  • "If everyone at school jumped off a cliff, would you jump off a cliff?"

  • Your parents were, in fact, calling you out for making an appeal to the people

  • and for reasons that will become clear as you watch this video, they were perfectly right to do so.

  • Let's take a closer look at how this fallacy works.

  • An appeal to the people tries to establish the truth of some claim "P"

  • on the basis that a lot of people believe P to be true.

  • Because it is an informal fallacy, rather than a formal fallacy,

  • we know that there is something wrong with its content rather than its form.

  • In this case, the content that the argument provides in support of its conclusion simply isn't sufficient

  • or even necessarily relevant to establishing the truth of that conclusion.

  • An example will help clarify things.

  • Suppose you and your friend are arguing over whether or not Justin Bieber has any musical talent.

  • Your friend says, "Of course he has musical talent!

  • Millions upon millions of fans can't possibly be wrong!"

  • If you wanted to formalize your friend's argument, it would look something like this:

  • Premise 1): Millions of people think Justin Bieber has musical talent.

  • Conclusion: Therefore, Justin Bieber has musical talent.

  • Now, if you think there's something fishy about this argument, you're right.

  • The big problem with this argument is that it tries to establish the truth of its conclusion

  • that is, that Justin Bieber has musical talent,

  • by appealing to the fact that many people believe that conclusion to be true.

  • But this simply doesn't follow.

  • Something can be true, even if everyone believes it to be false.

  • And something can be false, even if everyone believes it to be true.

  • Now, I don't mean to say that we should always completely disregard popular opinion

  • when we're trying to figure out whether or not something is true or false.

  • Often, the fact that most people believe in the truth of some claim

  • does actually give us at least some reason to think that that claim really is true.

  • If, for example, you find out that 98% of your sociology class

  • thought that the answer to question five on the exam was "C,"

  • it would be reasonable for you to think that "C" probably was indeed the right answer.

  • After all, if they all managed to arrive at that answer,

  • it was probably because they properly studied for the test.

  • You would be committing a fallacy, however, if you thought that the answer to question five

  • was "C" BECAUSE 98% of your sociology class had answered the question that way.

  • So, while popular support may give you a reason to BELIEVE a claim to be true

  • It is very rarely, itself, the thing that MAKES that claim true.

  • Note that I said "very rarely" and not "never."

  • In fact, there are a few cases in which Appeals to Popularity are NOT fallacious.

  • Consider etiquette: if I am trying to argue that it is rude in India to leave one's shoes on indoors

  • it is very reasonable for me to appeal to the fact that most people in India

  • think that it's rude to leave one's shoes on indoors.

  • In this case, the content to which I am appealing,

  • that is, the opinions of the Indian population,

  • is completely relevant to the conclusion that I am trying to establish.

  • Or, suppose that you are having an argument with a friend about how this letter is pronounced in Canadian English.

  • Here's a situation where there would be nothing wrong about making an argument like,

  • "Almost everyone in Canada says 'zed'

  • so the correct pronunciation in Canadian English must be 'zed' and not 'zee.'

  • Keep in mind, however, that these examples are the exceptions and not the rule.

  • Most of the time it's a good idea to be suspicious of arguments

  • that attempt to establish the truth of the conclusion by appealing to popular opinion.

[intro music]

Subtitles and vocabulary

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A2 US fallacy conclusion justin bieber argument bieber musical

CRITICAL THINKING - Fallacies: Appeal to the People [HD]

  • 200 9
    Keira Wang posted on 2017/12/12
Video vocabulary

Keywords

relevant

US /ˈrɛləvənt/

UK /ˈreləvənt/

  • adjective
  • Having an effect on an issue; related or current
  • Closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand.
  • Having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.
pronunciation

US /prəˌnʌnsiˈeʃən/

UK /prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃn/

  • noun
  • How a word is said; how a word sounds
  • A representation of how a word is spoken, often using phonetic symbols.
  • A particular way of pronouncing words, often associated with a region or social group.
  • other
  • The way in which a word or language is spoken.
  • The manner in which someone utters a word.
  • A particular way of pronouncing words, often associated with a region or group.
  • other
  • A representation of how a word is spoken, often using phonetic symbols.
  • A particular way of pronouncing words, especially one that is characteristic of a region or group.
figure

US /ˈfɪɡjɚ/

UK /ˈfiɡə/

  • verb
  • To appear in a game, play or event
  • To calculate how much something will cost
  • To understand or solve something.
  • To understand after thinking; work out
  • other
  • To consider, believe, or conclude.
  • To calculate or work out (a sum or amount).
  • noun
  • Your body shape
  • Numbers in a calculation
  • A diagram or illustrative drawing in a book or magazine.
  • Doll-like thing meant to represent a person
  • Picture or diagram giving information in a text
  • Person who is very important or famous
  • A set pattern of movements in ice skating.
  • Shape of a person seen indistinctly or in outline
  • Amount that is expressed in numbers
  • A person, especially one who is important or well-known.
  • A numerical amount or value expressed in numbers.
  • A statue or other representation of a person or animal.
  • An outline or shape, especially of a person or animal.
  • other
  • To conclude or expect; think.
content

US /ˈkɑnˌtɛnt/

UK /'kɒntent/

  • adjective
  • Willing to accept something; satisfied.
  • Being happy or satisfied
  • In a state of peaceful happiness.
  • In a state of peaceful happiness.
  • other
  • To be satisfied or willing to do something.
  • other
  • To make (someone) happy and satisfied.
  • To make (someone) happy and satisfied.
  • To satisfy (someone).
  • To make (someone) happy and satisfied.
  • other
  • Information made available by a website or other electronic medium.
  • Information made available by a website or other electronic medium.
  • The things that are to be found inside something.
  • The things that are to be found inside something.
  • The subject matter of a book, speech, etc.
  • other
  • Information or other material put out by an individual or organization via communications mediums.
  • The amount of a particular substance contained in something.
  • A state of peaceful happiness and satisfaction.
  • The things that are to be found inside something; the ideas, facts, or images that are contained in a book, article, speech, etc.
  • noun
  • Information in something, e.g. book or computer
situation

US /ˌsɪtʃuˈeʃən/

UK /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃn/

  • noun
  • Place, position or area that something is in
  • An unexpected problem or difficulty
properly

US /ˈprɑːpərli/

UK /ˈprɔpəlɪ/

  • adverb
  • In an appropriate or correct manner
  • In a correct or appropriate manner.
  • In a way that is suitable or appropriate.
  • In a correct or satisfactory way.
  • In a way that is morally correct or acceptable.
  • In a thorough or complete way.
completely

US /kəmˈpliːtli/

UK /kəmˈpli:tli/

  • adverb
  • In every way or as much as possible; totally.
  • In every way or as much as possible
  • Totally; entirely.
  • To the greatest extent; thoroughly.
  • In every way or as much as possible; totally.
  • Including all or everything; without anything lacking.
  • Thoroughly; to a full or finished extent.
  • Totally; in every way or as much as possible.
attempt

US /əˈtɛmpt/

UK /ə'tempt/

  • noun
  • Effort made to try to do or accomplish something
  • verb
  • To try to do something challenging or difficult
necessarily

US /ˌnɛsɪˈsɛrəli, -ˈsɛr-/

UK /ˌnesəˈserəli/

  • adverb
  • As a necessary result; inevitably.
  • As a necessary result; inevitably.
  • In a way that is needed/required/is unavoidable
claim

US /klem/

UK /kleɪm/

  • noun
  • An assertion of the truth of something, typically one that is disputed or in doubt.
  • A request to an insurance company for payment relating to a loss covered by a policy.
  • A demand or request for something considered one's due.
  • A statement asserting something as a fact.
  • A demand for something as rightful or due.
  • A statement that something is true.
  • other
  • To state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof.
  • To state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof.
  • To ask for something that you believe belongs to you or that you have a right to.
  • To make a request for something of value, especially money, that you believe you are owed.
  • verb
  • To say that something is true, often without proof.
  • To demand or ask for something that you believe is rightfully yours.
  • To take or cause the loss of (e.g., a life, property).